Arch-support



A. E. BLOCK. ARCH SUPPORT. APPLICATION FILED con 9. 1915.

Patented Aug. 15, 1916.

.INVENTOR ALXANDER E. BY

BLOCK ALEXANDER E. BLOCK, 0]? ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ARCH-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. as, rare.

Application filed October 9, 1915. Serial No. 55,095.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER E. BLOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have'invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch-Supports, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. My invention relates to improvements in arch supports and has for its object to provide a support for the longitudinal and anterior metatarsal arches of the human foot, which may be used as a support for either or both of said arches.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a support embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa sectional view of a fragment of the same taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a plan view of one of the inserts employed in the device of my invention. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of said insert.

As shown in the drawings I employ a flexible insole 6 adapted to be seated in the shoe of the wearer and extending from the' heel of the shoe to a point beneath the anterior metatarsal arch of the wearers foot. Upon the lower face of the insole 6 I provide the tubular pockets 7 and 8, 7 being longitudinally mounted in alinement with the longitudinal arch of the wearer, and 8 being transversely mounted in alinement with his anterior metatarsal arch. These pockets 7 and 8 arepf fiexiblematerial, and are detachably secured to the lower face of the insole 6 by any suitable means, that illustrated in the drawings being the lines of stitching 9; the purpose being to permit either of the pockets 7 or 8 to be readily ripped or otherwise detached and. removed from the insole 6 when only one pocket is required in the support andtreatment of the wearers foot.

Within the pocket 7 one or more of the inserts 10 may be mounted at any point desired; and within the pocket 8 one or more of the inserts 11 may similarly be mounted.

To secure said inserts 10 and 11 against ac-- cidental displacement I provide the pockets 7 and 8 with apertures 12-12 arran ed at their edges opposite each other, and a apted to receive the flexible ears 13- 13 with which the inserts 10 and 11 are provided on their outer edges.

By the described means I am enabled to support either arch of the foot at any desired point, and to shift the point of support when desired. I am also enabled to furnish to the trade in a single article of manufacture a support for both arches, which the dealer can instantly convert into a support for one arch alone by detaching and removing that one of the pockets (7 or 8) which is not needed by his customer; the dealer buying but one line of the various sizes (mens, womens and .childrens) of the present device, instead of having to purchase the said several sizes of two lines of supports, one line adapted to the treatment of the anterior metatarsal arch only, and the other to the treatment of the longitudinal arch only.

By the term pocket as used in this description and in the eeptacle for inserts, having substantially parallel sides and being open at either or both of its ends, and mounted on the lower face of an insole.

I claim as new, and desire to'have securedto meby the grant of Letters Patent, is

1. In an'arch support, an insole; a pocket mounted on the lower face of the insole and having apertures along its length; and an insert arranged to fit within said pocket and having meansto engage with said apertures. 2. An arch support comprising an insole provided on its lower face with a detachable pocket extending longitudinally of said insole and a detachable pocket extending transversely of saidinsole; and inserts arrangedto ,be adjustably mounted along the length of said pockets.

3. An arch support comprising aninsole provided on its lower face with a pocket extending longitudinally of said insole and a inserts arranged to be adjustably mounted along the length of said pockets; and means for locking said inserts Within said'poc'kets 1 against accidental displacement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aifix my signature.

ALEXANDER E. BLOCK. 

